Applying Late to College? There’s Still a Chance to Get Accepted

By Emily Wilkins
on May 19, 2017

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May 1 was Decision Day, the day that many students must decide which college they will attend in the fall (or, more specifically, which colleges require students put down a deposit to secure their spot).

Although some students have spent years preparing to attend college, other students might have just started thinking about what they will do after receiving their high school diploma. Even if you haven’t filled out a college application, there’s still a chance of walking onto campus this fall to begin your college career.

Follow these steps to get into college past Decision Day:

See which colleges still are accepting applications. Depending what you are looking for in a college, you might not be late. Hundreds of colleges have application deadlines that extend into June, July or August. Most of the colleges with longer deadlines are not the most competitive colleges, but many are reputable. Some colleges practice rolling admissions, where they accept students until their freshman class is filled.

If you decide to go to a college where the deadline has already passed, get in contact with an admissions officer. If there’s a reason why you missed the deadline, such as a family emergency or unforeseen circumstance, mention that in your discussion. Make sure you are clear on what materials they need, how those materials should be sent to them and when.

Take note of deadlines and make sure you meet them. Don’t let a tight timeframe, however, lead to a rushed application. An application that missed the cutoff needs to stand out. Now, more than ever, it’s important for your application be compelling and free of spelling and grammatical errors.

Apply for financial aid as soon as possible. Students applying late are at a disadvantage, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to receive assistance from a college to help pay tuition.

Sign up for Cappex. If you need help finding the right college fit, sign up for Cappex and completely fill out your profile. Cappex will help match you with colleges that are a great fit and help you explore colleges you might not have considered.